A roadable aircraft, or aerocar, is a vehicle that can be both driven on the road in a land mode and takeoff, fly, and land as an aircraft in a flight mode. Vehicles that demonstrate such capabilities provide operators with expanded private travel options. Such vehicles, however, can require physical tradeoffs in design in order to facilitate operations in both the land mode and the flight mode.
Typically, the body portion, or passenger compartment, of a land vehicle is shaped for passenger comfort and to facilitate maneuverability, whereas the fuselage of an aircraft is shaped to optimize aerodynamic lift, limit drag, and facilitate flight stability. Existing aerocars include wings used during the flight mode that are designed to fold against the fuselage in the land mode. Storing wings in such a manner can subject the wings to damage, reduce fuel economy, and limit operator aft and side views in the land mode.